Revolution later

Snug Falls

Welcome to No Planet Like Home. Here be another blog post on one of the multitude of walking tracks throughout south-east Tasmania, Australia.

Following our aborted visit to the Organ Pipes, the next location my friend had chosen was a short track with a waterfall, just outside the tiny town of Snug.

What is it like?

Let me show you.

An easy decline at the beginning leads to a large open shelter sitting by a cliff face, which is dotted with large boulders and eclipsed by myopic views of the dense forest surrounds.

The path makes a steeper descent from this point, with the hillside falling from the heights to our left to the river somewhere beyond the trees. We noticed many hollows in the surrounding rocks of the hillside, almost like miniature caves large enough for a child to shelter. Climbing to inspect one, there were obvious animal tracks from native fauna who had clearly shared the idea. At least one track-side hollow was burnished from the occupancy of countless tourists.

Beneath the towering trees at the bottom was the modest Snug Waterfall. The rock pool auburn from decaying plant life, fellow visitors clambered over rocks, rested on boulders and fallen trunks, enjoying the scenery. I noticed the river’s course further back into the forest with well-trod trails on either side of the banks. Alone, I would follow and explore them, but with company, it was a trek for another time 🙂

The track is a relatively short and easy walk with a descent (and return ascent) of no more than 100m (328ft). The journey is 4km (2.5mi) return.

A slight scrap of history
Snug was first sighted by Europeans sailing the nearby D’Entrecasteaux Channel in 1792, though the naming didn’t occur until the Snug river was discovered by land in 1810. The establishment of a colony at Hobart Town led to subsequent exploration and expansion along the channel. Snug was first settled in the 1830s and ’40s when timber cutters cleared the land and settlers moved in, adapting the area for uses such as mixed farming and orchards.

Getting there

The location is relatively easy to find: Snug is located 30 km south of Hobart on the Channel Highway, a ten minute drive from the satellite town of Kingston.

It would be feasible to reach by bus, if you have no objection to an extra 2 kilometres walk from the highway. The entrance to Snug Tiers Road is marked with a small ‘Snug Falls’ sign, though if you miss this intersection, you won’t miss the local town shop and petrol station. 1 km inland on Snug Tiers Road is Snug Falls Road, which quickly turns to gravel. Roadside parking spaces and clear signs mark the beginning of the track. I noticed few spaces to park a car in the immediate area, though I’m confident the fearless explorer might find enough space somewhere nearby.